Predjudism Between Deaf and Hearing People

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Cooter

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I am new to ASL, and to the concept of seperate Deaf communities. I have known a few deaf people in my life, and they seemed to be regular members of the community, and not let their disabilities stop them from living life how they want to. I really respect that.
Now I'm looking into Deaf communities online, and I seem to get an undertone of predjudism, and separation between the deaf and the hearing. Can anyone speak to this and give me a little more insight?
 
Cooter said:
I am new to ASL, and to the concept of seperate Deaf communities. I have known a few deaf people in my life, and they seemed to be regular members of the community, and not let their disabilities stop them from living life how they want to. I really respect that.
Now I'm looking into Deaf communities online, and I seem to get an undertone of predjudism, and separation between the deaf and the hearing. Can anyone speak to this and give me a little more insight?
Click to expand...

Deaf people spell better. The word is "prejudice."
 
I am going to tread lightly regarding this subject so as not to ruffle any feathers, but my experience has been that those who are full members of Deaf Culture share specific experiences and ideals just as members of any other cultural group do. What makes cultures unique is that the members can share many common things with each other. Experiences, language, rituals, etc.

I think the prejudice you may be referring to is a result of audism among the hearing community and the oppression that the Deaf as a collectivist culture have experienced over the years. Hope this helps. If you're interested, I can recommend a few books that may shed some light on Deaf Culture to help you with your studies.
 
OpheliaSpeaks said:
I am going to tread lightly regarding this subject so as not to ruffle any feathers, but my experience has been that those who are full members of Deaf Culture share specific experiences and ideals just as members of any other cultural group do. What makes cultures unique is that the members can share many common things with each other. Experiences, language, rituals, etc.

I think the prejudice you may be referring to is a result of audism among the hearing community and the oppression that the Deaf as a collectivist culture have experienced over the years. Hope this helps. If you're interested, I can recommend a few books that may shed some light on Deaf Culture to help you with your studies.
Click to expand...

You are right. It is Audism. They want us to learn to speak so we could be included in their conversations, everyday life but the result is exactly the opposite way. How can I read-lip if they turn their head around or if they talk too fast. Why do I have to learn to talk and lip-read while they with all five senses intact, don't have to learn sign language? It is far easier for them to learn sign language than us learning to speak/lip-read. Back then when corporal punishment was okay, the deaf kids do get punished for signing.

Yesterday, I was watching the YouTube vlog where the deaf woman was complaining that her family don't sign. They asked her why she refuse to go to Thanksgiving dinner with family. She told them exactly why. Everybody is talking except her. She often ended up watching football game, feeling so left out. I went thru the same thing with my own family. My own family know that I have an eye problem and could lose my sight years later. Did they start learning sign language? No. Action speaks louder than words. I know exactly what they are thinking eventhough they might tell me otherwise.

Who control the Deaf Education? not the Deaf people and I want to see it back under our control like in the days of Laurent Clerc. The doctors often see deafness as something that needs to be fixed so they recommand CI and no sign language.

Back to that YouTube vlog, the woman said that the table was turned when the hearing guy took her to met a deaf French guy. She talk with the deaf guy so much that the hearing person got left out. She said it is like that the hearing person is getting the taste of their own medicine. Exactly. That is what we are facing everyday so we'd rather hang out with other deaf people.

I still don't understand why a person with all five intact senses would refuse to sign. Often they think sign language is a crutch that we shouldn't depend on but I see hearing aids as electronic crutch that could fail me. Sign language don't fail me as long as I have my hand(s) even after I lose my sight.
 
Why do people with good hearing have to laugh when a person does not pronounce a word correctly? Often my hearling loss prevents me from hearing the correct pronouncement and I repeat what I think it is, and then some look at me like I'm stupid. Whats up with that?
 
IndieVisible said:
Why do people with good hearing have to laugh when a person does not pronounce a word correctly? Often my hearling loss prevents me from hearing the correct pronouncement and I repeat what I think it is, and then some look at me like I'm stupid. Whats up with that?
Click to expand...

just like the way you mocked me in my auditory hallucinations thread?

<sorry everyone. i had to say it>

leaving thread now...
 
It's audism you're talking about, and everybody else has summed it up. It's not likely to change as long as the Deaf are a relatively small and unnoticed group that nobody really knows about and has little incentive to. Most people can talk to the Deaf bagger at the supermarket well enough to tell him where your car is, why would hearing people feel as if they should learn more? I don't see that it's very likely to change soon, but who knows?
 
Mockingbird said:
It's audism you're talking about, and everybody else has summed it up. It's not likely to change as long as the Deaf are a relatively small and unnoticed group that nobody really knows about and has little incentive to. Most people can talk to the Deaf bagger at the supermarket well enough to tell him where your car is, why would hearing people feel as if they should learn more? I don't see that it's very likely to change soon, but who knows?
Click to expand...

I agree but I am hoping that the fact that hearing kids' language improve due to sign language would change their perception of deaf people. I just wish that parents don't quit learning signing when their kids all talk.
 
I see.

I have experienced prejudism in my life, but I can't imagine feeling the way some of you have expressed in other threads. I hate to see a group or community labeled badly for a few people's intolerance. I don't want to personally be associated with prejudism because many hearing people are. I can assure you, there are good people in the world that will accept a person for who they are, not based on color, race, religion, or disability.

I live in a small town in Oregon, there isn't many deaf people around here. Until I recently started looking into deaf culture on the internet, I had no idea that there was such a separation between the deaf and the hearing. I am really saddened to see this.

I am not racist, but I can understand why there is racial tension. Differences between an American and, say, a Chinese person could be difficult to overcome for a weak minded person. But why is it such a big deal for a person to not be able to hear? I see that as a minor difference here. I wouldn't shun someone for missing an arm, or being in a wheel chair.
 
Cooter said:
I see.

I have experienced prejudism in my life, but I can't imagine feeling the way some of you have expressed in other threads. I hate to see a group or community labeled badly for a few people's intolerance. I don't want to personally be associated with prejudism because many hearing people are. I can assure you, there are good people in the world that will accept a person for who they are, not based on color, race, religion, or disability.

I live in a small town in Oregon, there isn't many deaf people around here. Until I recently started looking into deaf culture on the internet, I had no idea that there was such a separation between the deaf and the hearing. I am really saddened to see this.

I am not racist, but I can understand why there is racial tension. Differences between an American and, say, a Chinese person could be difficult to overcome for a weak minded person. But why is it such a big deal for a person to not be able to hear? I see that as a minor difference here. I wouldn't shun someone for missing an arm, or being in a wheel chair.
Click to expand...

Prejudism is really not a word. Here is an explanation.

The correct forms are prejudice, prejudiced and prejudicial.The equivalent to racism is Prejudice.
Feminism is a word. Womanism isn't.



Source:
Webster's 10th Collegiate Dictionary
Click to expand...
 
A little irony that I think pertains to this thread. I work with a teacher who is deaf (in a public school district) who does not sign. Having taken ASL I and currently being in ASL II makes it very difficult for me to communicate with him. I actually have to put my hands in my pockets, behind my back, or something so that I am not tempted to sign when I talk with him. I actually find the whole situation somewhat uncomfortable. Here I am, a hearing person, who is learning a new language, that while still learning, it actually feels rather natural, and I find it difficult to communicate with someone in which I would think it would also be natural. Anyone else have a similar experience?
 
Buffalo said:
You are right. It is Audism. They want us to learn to speak so we could be included in their conversations, everyday life but the result is exactly the opposite way. How can I read-lip if they turn their head around or if they talk too fast. Why do I have to learn to talk and lip-read while they with all five senses intact, don't have to learn sign language? It is far easier for them to learn sign language than us learning to speak/lip-read. Back then when corporal punishment was okay, the deaf kids do get punished for signing.

Yesterday, I was watching the YouTube vlog where the deaf woman was complaining that her family don't sign. They asked her why she refuse to go to Thanksgiving dinner with family. She told them exactly why. Everybody is talking except her. She often ended up watching football game, feeling so left out. I went thru the same thing with my own family. My own family know that I have an eye problem and could lose my sight years later. Did they start learning sign language? No. Action speaks louder than words. I know exactly what they are thinking eventhough they might tell me otherwise.

Who control the Deaf Education? not the Deaf people and I want to see it back under our control like in the days of Laurent Clerc. The doctors often see deafness as something that needs to be fixed so they recommand CI and no sign language.

Back to that YouTube vlog, the woman said that the table was turned when the hearing guy took her to met a deaf French guy. She talk with the deaf guy so much that the hearing person got left out. She said it is like that the hearing person is getting the taste of their own medicine. Exactly. That is what we are facing everyday so we'd rather hang out with other deaf people.

I still don't understand why a person with all five intact senses would refuse to sign. Often they think sign language is a crutch that we shouldn't depend on but I see hearing aids as electronic crutch that could fail me. Sign language don't fail me as long as I have my hand(s) even after I lose my sight.
Click to expand...

:gpost: That is exactly what I have been trying to explain to hearing people about our difference of being Deaf and why I get mad at the hearing people (both professional hearing people and hearing parents) for making us suffer without sign language by getting us to speak and lipread. You make a lot of sense of what you are saying here. :ty: for speaking your piece about it. :cool2:
 
dorothy5664 said:
A little irony that I think pertains to this thread. I work with a teacher who is deaf (in a public school district) who does not sign. Having taken ASL I and currently being in ASL II makes it very difficult for me to communicate with him. I actually have to put my hands in my pockets, behind my back, or something so that I am not tempted to sign when I talk with him. I actually find the whole situation somewhat uncomfortable. Here I am, a hearing person, who is learning a new language, that while still learning, it actually feels rather natural, and I find it difficult to communicate with someone in which I would think it would also be natural. Anyone else have a similar experience?
Click to expand...

Yea, I have that with a few oral deaf people. It is VERY hard for me not to sign with them and when I do, they get upset. I think they dont want anything to do with sign language. :dunno: I do rarely interact with them because of their attitudes toward ASL.
 
shel90 said:
Yea, I have that with a few oral deaf people. It is VERY hard for me not to sign with them and when I do, they get upset. I think they dont want anything to do with sign language. :dunno: I do rarely interact with them because of their attitudes toward ASL.
Click to expand...

You know, I really have to watch myself, because I will sign to small children that aren't talking well yet. Or, if someone across the room asks me a question, and I'm busy, I tend to sign the answer instead of voice it!:lol:
 
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